Scanning device for scintigraphy according to three orthogonal planes

ABSTRACT

A device for the scintigraphic scanning according to three orthogonal planes, comprising a carrier structure for the detecting heads including a) one horizontally located beam, longitudinally oriented; b) two vertical columns the bases of which are provided with rolling means suitable to cause them to longitudinally slide along the beam, remaining guided thereon; c) two carriages provided with rolling means capable of causing the carriages to slide vertically each on one column, remaining guided thereon, and provided further with a recess with rolling means capable of supporting and causing to horizontally and transversely slide a support rod for the detector; d) two supporting rods each supporting a detector - each sliding in a vertical recess in one of the carriages; e) a bracket for a first detecting head connecting it to the end of the associated supporting rod and provided with pre-setting means with orthogonal axes for the rotation about the centre of gravity of the head towards all desired directions and oriented for descending in oblique directions so that the head will remain below the rod and displaced towards the second column; f) a bracket for the second detecting head connecting it to the end of the associated support rod being provided with a knuckle for presetting a rotative position about an axis parallel to that of the rod and for its horizontal along it so that the head will become displaced towards the first column with respect to the rod, and will be thus capable of aligning with the other head in both vertical and horizontal directions.

United States Patent Casale 1 Dec.3,1974

1 1 SCANNING DEVICE FOR SCINTIGRAPHY ACCORDING TO THREE ORTI-IOGONALPLANES [75] Inventor: Renato Casale, Rome, Italy [73] Assignee: ItalElettionica S.p.A., Rome, Italy [22] Filed: July 7, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:269,668

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary ExaminerArchie R.Borchelt Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Browne, Beveridge, DeGrandi & Kline[57 ABSTRACT A device for the scintigraphic scanning according to threeorthogonal planes, comprising a carrier structure for the detectingheads including a) one horizontally located beam, longitudinallyoriented; b) two vertical columns the bases of which are provided withrolling means suitable to cause them to longitudinally slide along thebeam, remaining gu'ided thereon; 0) two carriages provided with rollingmeans capable of causing the carriages to slide vertically each on onecolumn, remaining guided thereon, and provided further with a recesswith rolling means capable of supporting and causing to horizontally andtransversely slide a support rod for the detector; (1) two supportingrods each supporting a detector each sliding in a vertical recess in oneof the carriages; e) a bracket for a first detecting head connecting itto the end of the associated supporting rod and provided withpre-setting means with orthogonal axes for the rotation about the centreof gravity of the head towards all desired directions and oriented fordescending in oblique directions so that the head will remain below therod and displaced towards the second column; f) a bracket for the seconddetecting head connecting it to the end of the associated support rodbeing provided with a knuckle for presetting a rotative position aboutan axis parallel to that of the rod and for its horizontal along it sothat the head will become displaced towards the first column withrespect to the rod, and will be thus capable of aligning with the otherhead in both vertical and horizontal directions.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENIEL B l974 SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTEL E53 34 SHEET 3 OF 5 PATENTEL 353 74 snter u or 5 SCANNENG DEVHCE FORSCINTTGRAPHY ACCORDING TO THREE ORTHOGONAL PLANES The present inventionrelates to a scintigraphic scanning device according to three possibleorthogonal planes, for detecting the distribution of the radioisotopesin the bodies of patients, with a scanning field which can also extendto the entire body.

This scanning device affords, with respect to the known similar devices,the advantages of having two detecting heads, two systems for recordalon paper and two photographic recordal systems which can be utilized invarious modes in order to comply with the most different conditions ofuse. Furthermore the two detecting heads can operate on the same focalaxis with opposite senses either according to a horizontal scanningplane, reaching the dimensions of the entire body, or according to avertical scanning plane, establishing on the recording devices separateand superposed scintigraphies of the radio-activity detected by the twoheads. The heads can also operate side-by-side in longitudinal andtransverse senses according to a horizontal scanning plane; the headscan also operate simultaneously: the first head according to ahorizontal, lateral or frontal plane, and the second head according to ahorizontal or lateral plane at right angles with respect to the planewhereon operates the first head, determining simultaneously thescint-igraphies of the two projections on each pair of recordingdevices,

Another advantage with respect to the known systems is thatnotwithstanding the plurality of the possible scanning planes and of themodes of movement of the detecting heads in these planes, the movementmembers connecting the detecting heads, the heads writing on paper andthe projectors of the recording devices are entirely mechanical members.This fact allows the heads to be predisposed on the areas to be scannedand to be moved simultaneously within the pre-selected areas by manuallyoperated movements with no danger for the patient, so as to dispensewith the cumbersome and complicated safety systems.

Other advantages with respect to the known systems with a mechanicalcoupling, consist in the possible simultaneous observation of thepatient and of the scintigraphies on paper, during the scanningoperation, and the possibility of effecting the scintigraphies both innormal size and in reduced size.

In order to achieve the above disclosed advantages, a carrier structurefor the detecting heads comprises: a) a beam, horizontally andlongitudinally located which rests on the floor on suitable supports; b)two vertical columns, the bases of which are provided with rolling meanssuitable to allow the columns to slide longitudinally along the beamkeeping the columns steadily vertical while moving therealong thereon;c) two carriages provided with rolling means suitable to allow thecarriages to slide vertically each on one column, keeping the carriagesuniformly guided therealong and having also a recess with rolling meanssuitable to support and to allow the horizontal sliding of a rodsupporting the detector, with a transverse direction of movement, i.e.horizontal and in a direction at right angles to the direction ofmovement of the column along the beam; d) two supporting rods for thedetectors each sliding in the associated recess in its carriage; e) abracket connecting the first detecting rod to the end of the associatedsupporting head provided with two presettable articulated couplings withaxes at right angles to one another for the rotation about the centre ofgravity of the head toward all directions at will; which bracket isoriented in oblique descending direction, in order to locate the headentirely below the rod while being displaced toward the second column;f) a bracket or arm connecting the second detecting head to the end ofthe associated supporting rod, provided with an articulated coupling forthe presetting its rotation about the centre of gravity of the headabout an axis parallel to that of the rod and for its movement alongthat axis; which bracket is horizontally oriented so that the head willbe displaced towards the first column with respect to the rod, and canbe thus aligned with the other head in both vertical and transversedirections.

In order to achieve these advantages a recording unit for thescintigraphic scanning comprises: a) a frame, rigidly connected to thebeam of the carrier beam, provided with two longitudinal guides oneabove the other whereon there is mounted a horizontal plane for therecording on paper of two scintigraphies, side-by-side located in atransverse sense; b) a carriage, movable with respect to the carriage onthe two guides; c) a guide horizontally supported by the carriage in adirection transverse to the plane of recording on paper; d) a carriagesliding on the transverse guide and carrying both heads for therecording paper; d) a double photographic recorder with films located ina vertical plane, parallel to the direction of the two guides on whichmoves the first named carriage, in the dark chamber of said photographicdetector extending through a light tight passage, two vertical parallelguides, parallel also to the plane of the film, and cantilever supportedby the carriage; f) two carriages sliding on the two vertical guides ofthe photographic recorder, one of said last cited carriages supportingthe photogrpahic recorder, and the other the counterweight therefor; g)a metal tape drive or the like connecting the two carriages of thephotographic recorder and the carrage of the recorder on paper so thatthe movement of the projector and of its counterweight will occurtowards opposite directions, in order to prevent the tape drive fromimparting a lateral thrust to the carriage of recordal on paper.

In order to attain the above indicated advantages, this invention,utilizes as driving means for the detecting heads and the recordingdevices on paper, of a drive system including: a) two chains which willbe called: line feed of the detecting heads and scanning primary chainof the detecting heads, respectively, each passing around two gear ringsthe shafts of which are rigid with the beam at opposite ends thereof,then around three gear rings the shafts of which are rigid with thefirst column, and around three other gear rings the shafts of which arerigid with second column, so located that the portions of chaincomprised between one gear ring, the shaft of which is rigid with thebeam, and one gear ring the shaft of which is rigid with the one columnand between gear rings the shafts of which are rigid with each of thecolumns, will be parallel to the direction of movement of the columns onthe beam, whereby the total length of each chain will be constant whenthe column moves along the beam, and that portion of each chaincomprised between gear rings the shafts of which are rigid with each ofthe two columns, will be parallel to the direction of the movement ofthe carriages on the columns; b) two chains which will be called: linefeed of the recording devices and scanning primary chain for therecording devices, respectively; the first chain passes around about twogear rings with shafts rigid with the frame and with at least oneportion of the path parallel to the direction of the movement of thecarriage for the recording group with respect to the frame, and in thatportion the chain is connected to the carriage, while the second chainpasses around about two gear rings the shafts of which are rigid to theframe, and about three gear rings the shafts of which are rigid with thecarriage, so that the portions of chain comprised between one gear ringthe shaft of which is rigid with the frame and a gear ringthe shaft ofwhich is rigid with the carriage, will be parallel to the movement ofthe carriage with respect to the frame, whereby the total length of thepath of the chain will be constant when the carriage moves with respectto the frame, and one portion comprised between two gear rings theshafts of which are rigid with the carriage will result almost vertical;c) two devices, the first of which connects directly, or with ascaled-down motion one of the gear rings the shaft of which if fixed tothe beam and around which passes the feed line chain for the detectingheads with a gear ring, the shaft of which is rigid with the framearound which passes the feed line for the recording devices, and thesecond of which makes a similar connection for two gear rings aboutwhich pass the two primary scanning chains; (1) two secondary scanningchains for the detecting heads, which pass: the firstchain about fourgear rings the shafts of which are rigid with the carriage of the firstcolumn, with such a path that one portion will result parallel to themovement of the carriage with respect to the column, and that oneportion'will be disposed parallel to the movement of the rod withrespect to the carriage, and the second chain is similarly applied tothe carriage of the second column, both secondary chains being connectedto the rods at a point in the portion parallel to their motion withrespect to the carriages; e) a secondary scanning chain for therecording devices passing around four gear rings the shafts of which arerigid with the carriage of the recording group with such a path that oneportion will be parallel to the path of a substantially vertical portionof the primary scanning chain of the recording devices, which portionwill be parallel to the movement of the carriage guiding the headsrecording on paper; the secondary scanning chain for the recordingdevices being connected directly to the primary chain in a point of theportion where the two chains have parallel paths and being connected tothe carriage driving the heads for recording on paper at a point wherethe chain has its path parallel to the carriage notionwith theinterposition of a device allowing an adjustable clearance for removingthe scallopping of recording and comprising a second auxiliary carriage;f) a group of eight electromagnetic clutches for selectively governingthe feed line notion directions for the selection of the scanning planesand for positioning the scanning areas, two of which allow the feed linechain for the detecting head to be fixed to each of the two columns at apre-selectable point along one of the portions parallel to-the movementof the columns along the beam, two other of said clutches allowing saidchain to be fixed to each of the two carriages at a point preeachdetecting head can be selected independently in longitudinal directionwith the movement of the columns along the beam, or in verticaldirection with the movement of the carriages along the columns while onthe recording devices it follows always the direction of the carriage inthe frame; G) a group of four electromagnetic clutches for pre-settingthe connection of the secondary scanning chains, for selecting thescanning plane of the first detecting head and for positioning thescanning areas, allowing one to fix the secondary scanning chains to thecarriage or to the primary chain at a point pre-selectable along theportion wherein their.

path is parallel to the movement of the carriage, by operating saidclutches, together with the clutches as already mentioned, for lockingthe carriages to .the columns, the scanning movement of the firstdetecting head can occur in vertical direction, moving the carraigealong the column, or in transverse direction, by moving the rod withrespect to the carriage by means of the secondary chain, while thesecond detecting head and the recording head on paper will be alwaystransversely moved through the associated secondary chains, and theprojectors of the photographic recorders will be always vertically movedthrough the further intervention of the tape drive; h) a motor with agear box which drives, through two electromagnetic clutches, the samerotational movements to both a gear ring the shaft of which is rigid tothe beam and around which passes the feed line chain for the detectingheads, and to a similar gear ring about which passes the primaryscanning chain of said head; when the clutch for the motor-scanningchain is actuated the feed line chain is locked by the pre-settingclutches or by a suitable clutch while the motor-feed line chain clutchis free, the motor imparts the scanning movements to both the detectingheads and to the recording devices; when both the clutches between themotor and the chains are actuated and the locking device for the feedline is released, the motor which moves to an equal extent the twochains imparts the feed line movements while preventing relativemovement between the two chains, no scanning movement will occur; whenall three electromagnetic clutches are released, the heads can bemanually moved for searching the hot point, or for positioning.

The scintigraphic scanning device according to three planes as describedcan obviously be embodied in reduced scale, without the second detectinghead with its associated supporting column and without the second pairof recording devices or without photographic recorders, withoutdeparting from the scope of the present industrial privilege.

For a more complete disclosure of this invention, reference will be madehereinafter to the attached drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the system;

FIG. 2 shows the second column without the covering members and inpartially exploded view of the carriage and of the chains;

FIG. 3 shows the recording unit with part of the structure removed andpart in exploded view for showing the motor reducer, the scale reducer,the chains and the carriage.

FIG. 4 shows the details of the photographic recording portion of theunit of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the driving elements for the detecting headsand for the recording devices.

With reference to FIG. 1, there has been shown a horizontal beam 1supported by four feet 2. On the' beam 1 slides a base 3 supporting acolumn, concealed by the cover 4 and a second base 5 supporting a secondcolumn concealed by the cover 6. The bases 3 and 5 are provided withrolling means, not shown for sake of simplicity suitable to cause saidbases to slide along the beam 1, maintaining said bases steadily guidedthereon, i.e., in fixed orientation while moving smoothly therethrough.The structure of the like columns is shown in FIG. 2, wherein is shownthe base 5 and the column proper 7 the structure of the two columnsbeing similar. Along each of the two columns slides vertically acarriage, which in FIG. I is covered by the fairings 4 and 6, the secondcolumn carriage 8, being shown in FIG. 2. Vertical sliding of thecarriage along the column is obtained by suitable rolling means capableof causing the carriage to slide vertically maintaining it steadily.

guided in a well known manner on the column the illustration of whichhas been omitted for sake of simplicity. The weight of the carriage 8and elements attached thereto is balanced by a suitable counter'weight,contained in the column 7 supported by chains 9 and 10 on pinions 11 and12. The carriage 8 is provided in its lower part with a recess 13 withinwhich axially slides a rod 14 guided and supported by suitable rollingmeans, not shown for sake of simplicity. The carriage of the firstcolumn is similar to that of the second column, shown in FIG. 2, withthe difference that the recess for the rod is in the upper part of thecarriage instead of being in its lower part, whereby as can be seen inFIG. 1 that rod 15 at parity of heights of the carriages, will be at alever higher than rod 14. This make possible translations of the columnsat right angles to the beam, of the carriages at right angles to theaxes of the columns, and the rods at right angles to the carriages,whereby the detecting heads supported on the rods can carry out thescanning in three orthogonal planes namely horizontal, frontal verticalor lateral vertical.

At the end of the rod 15 is connected a bracket 16 supporting thedetecting head 17. This bracket is constructed to rotate about theinclined axis A-A passing through the center of gravity of the head 14,which head in turn can rotate with respect to the bracket 16 about theaxis 8-8 which also passes through its center of gravity. By means ofsaid rotations about two axes at right angles the head 17 can be rotatedabout its centre of gravity towards any wanted direction, and to befixed in said direction by frictional means or suitable brakes notillustrated for simplicity. At the end of the rod 14 there is connecteda bracket 18, horizontally mounted, which supports the detecting head19, rotatable about the axis C-C which passes through its centre ofgravity, by means of the slidable knuckle 20. This allows the head 19 toboth rotate about the axis CC and sliding along that axis. A brake, notshown in the figure may be provided in order to lock the knuckle 20. Thedirection and the sense wherein each of the two detecting heads issensitive to radiation, has been shown for the head 17 by the arrow Dand for the head 19 by the arrow 5,. FIG. 1 shows a predisposition ofthe heads suitable to the simultaneous scanning of two co-planar areashorizontal and at right angles with respect to D and E, locatedside-by-side in the longitudinal direction of the beam, with equal andsimultaneous movements of the two heads. The location and the dimensionsof the brackets 16 and 18, particularly and of the various elementsgenerally, is such that as shown by the FIG. 7

l, the two heads can also be located side by side causing the axis 8-8to correspond with the axis CC and maintaining unaltered the directionand the sense'of the arrows D and E, suitable to the simultaneousscanning of two horizontal areas located side by side in transversedirection. If a rotation through 180 is effected about the axis C-C, ofthe head 19 with respect to its position as shown in FIG. 1, loweringsuitably' the carriage 8 of the second column 7, the arrows D and E canbe aligned on the same vertical straightline, with opposite andconvergent senses allowing thus the scanning of the same horizontal areawith a sensitivity doubled with respect to that of a single head. Ifalso the two heads will be rotated through 90 with respect to theposition shown in FIG. 1, about the axes 3-13 and CC, the arrows D and Ecan be aligned along a single horizontal straightline, in transversedirection, with opposite and convergent senses, allowing the scanning ofa lateral vertical plane with a sensitivity doubled with respect to thatof a single head. If the bracket will be rotated with respect to theposition of FIG. I, about the axis A-A', downwards until carrying theaxis B-B' on a vertical plane, frontally located along the direction ofthe beam 1, the head 17 will be rotated about the axis B-B until thevector D will be located horizontally, perpendicular to the frontalplane and turned towards the person who observes the FIG. 1, and finallythe head 19 will be moved along the axis C-C towards the person whoobserves the FIG. 1, and the head. 17 through a suitable downwardsdisplacement of the carriage which supports the same head 17, will belocated in a position suitable for scanning a frontal plane, whilesimultaneously the head 19 can scan a horizontal plane.

FIG. 3 shows the frame 20 of the recording unit, rigidly connected totwo beam 1, and on said frame is located the plane 21 for thesimultaneous recordings on paper. Fixed to the frame in longitudinaldirection are the cylindrical guide 22 and the square section guide 23along which slides the carriage 24 (which in FIG. 3 is partially removedand in exploded view in order to permit the driving members to be seen)by means of the three sliding supports 25, 26 and 27. The carriage 24supports the cross-guide 28 on which slides the carriage 29 guiding anddriving the writing heads 30 and 31. FIG. 4 shows the doublephotographic recording device with the dark chamber 32 within whichextend the vertical guides 33 and 34 cantilever supported by thecarriage 24 through a light tight passage allowing said guides to movelongitudinally with the carriage. Along the guide 33 slides the carriage35 supporting the two projectors 36 and 37 which are faced to thephotographic plates 38 and 39 which are shown in FIG. 4 as removed andcontained in their associated platecarriers. Along the guide 34 slidesthe counter-weight 40 which is moved oppositely to the carraige 35 bythe steel tape 41 which is extended about the pulleys 42, 43, 44 and 45and which is operated in turn by the carriage 29 controlling the writingheads. The counterweight prevents the tape 41 from imparting a staticlateral thrust to the carraige 29.

The FIG. 5 shows a diagram of the driving elements 1 for the detectingheads and the recording devices consisting of a chain system operated bya single gearboxmotor unit and of electromagnetic clutches in order toconnect them according to the exigencies.

The same elements of the diagram corresponds to those shown in FIGS. 2and 3, denoted by the same numeral references.

In FIG. 5 there is shown the primary scanning chain 46 for the detectingheads passed around ten gear rings numbered 47 to 56, the gear rings 47,48, 49 and 56 having their axes fixed on the unit consisting of therecording device frame and of the beam, while the gear rings 50, 51 and52 have their axes fixed to the first column, and the gear rings 53, 54and 55 fixed to the second column. During the movement of the columnsalong the beam, the extent of the path of the chain 46 does not changeas the three portions comprised between the gear rings 49 and 50, 52 and53, 55 and 56, are parallel to the movement of the columns along thebeam. FIG. 5 shows also the feed line chain 57 for the detecting heads,having a path similar to that as previously described and passed aboutten gear rings numbered 58 to 67. Also, the primary scanning chain 68for the recording devices is shown, extended about the five gear ringsnumbered 69 to 73, the gear, rings 69 and 73 having their shafts fixedto the frame for the recording devices, while the gear rings 70, 71 and72 have their shafts fixed to the carriage of the recording device. Theportions of the chains comprised between the gear rings 73 and 72 andbetween the gear rings 70 and 69 are parallel to the direction ofmovement of the carraige on the frame, causing a constant length of pathof the chain 68 when the carriage slides along the frame. In FIG. 5,also the feed line chain 74 for the recording devices is shown, passedabout the gear rings 75 and 76, the shafts of which are fixed to theframe. The chain 74 is connected to the carriage 24 is a portion of thepath parallel to the movement of the carriage along the freme. The gearring 48 is connected to the gear ring 69 by means of interconnectorgroup 77 containing two electromagnetic clutches and four gears wherebyit is possible to select a direct coupling or a reduction of speed whenpassing from the gear ring 48 to the gear ring 69, for instance downfrom 4 to l in order to obtain a corresponding reduction in therecording scale. A similar interconnector group 78 connects the gearring 59 to the gear ring 75. The group 78 is shown in FIG. 3 in explodedview in order to show the gear rings behind it. FIG. 5 shows also thesecondary scanning chain 79 of the first carriage extended about thefour gear rings 80 to 83, all these gear rings having their shafts rigidwith the carriage of the first column. The portion of the chain 79comprised between the gear ring 80 and 81 is parallel to the portion ofthe primary scanning chain 46 comprised between the gear rings 51 and 52and the portion comprised between the gear rings 81 and 82 is parallelto the movement of the rod 15 supporting the head 17, to which it isconnected. Likewise, the secondary scanning chain 84 for the secondcarriage extended about the four gear rings 85 to 88 is connected to therod 14 carrying head 19. FIG. 5 shows also a secondary chain 89 for therecording devices, which extends about the four rings 90 to 93, allthese gear rings having their shafts rigid with the carriage 24 for therecording devices. The chain 89 has a portion comprised between the gearrings 90 and 93 parallel to the portion of the primary chain 68comprised between the gear rings 70 and 71 and connected thereto. Thischain has also a portion comprised between the gear rings and 91parallel to the movement of the carriage 29 controlling the writingheads and is connected thereto by means of the auxiliary carriage 94.Between the auxiliary carriage 94 and the carriage 95 there is anadjustable clearance for eliminating the scalloping of the recordingmedium. FIG. 5 shows also two electromagnetic brakes 95 and 96 lockingthe gear rings 61 and 64 to the columns; fixing the feed line chain 57to the first column and to the second column, respectively, twoauxiliary columns 97 and 98 pivoted on the carriages and in mesh withthe feed line chain 57, two brakes 99 and 100 locking on the carriagesthe gear rings 97 and 98 fixing the feedline chain to the first carriageand to the second carriage respectively, the electromagnetic brakes I01and 102 which lock the two columns on the beam and 103 and 104 lockingthe carriages to the columns. By suitably presetting said brakes eitherin their locked or released positions, the feed line movement can beselected for the detecting heads, as either a movement of the columnswith respect to the beam, or a movement of the carriages with respect tothe columns; while on the recording devices the feed line movementcorresponds always to that of the carriage with respect to the frame,and further when the brakes are released, the heads can be positioned onthe scanning areas. FIG. 5 shows also the auxiliary carriages 105 and106 sliding on vertical guides fixed to the carriage, to said auxiliarycarriages being fixed the secondary scanning chains 79 and 84. On saidauxiliary carriages are pivoted the auxiliary scanning gear rings 107and 108 engaged with the primary scanning chain and it is possible tolock said gear rings on the carriages by the electromagnetic brakes 109and 1 10, which thus will lock the primary scanning chain 46 to thesecondary chains 79 and 84. The car riages 105 and 106 can be locked tothe column carriages by the brakes 111 and 112. By predisposing suitablythe brakes 103, 109 and 111, the scanning movement of the first head 17can be selected as either movement of the carriage with respect to thecolumn, or movement of the rod with respect to the carriage, and also,when the brakes are released, the head can be positioned on the scanningareas. Similar possibilities exist for the second head, by presettingthe brakes 104, and 112, although practically only the positioning ofhead 19 will be utilized, utilizing as scanning movement only that ofthe rod with respect to the carriage. The FIG. 5 shows also agearbox-motor unit 113 which transmits the same movements to the gearring 47 and consequently to the feed line chain 46 through theelectromagnetic clutch 114 and to the gear ring 58 and consequently tothe primary scanning chain 57 through the electromagnetic clutch 115.The electromagnetic brake 1 16 allows the gear ring 49 to be locked andthus the feed line gear will be locked. When the clutch 115 is inserted,the clutch 114 is released and the brake 116 is locked the motortransmits the scanning movements to the head; when both the clutches 114and 115 are actuated and the brake 116 is released, the feed linemovement will be obtained with non scanning movement; when both clutchesand the brake are released, it is possible to move manually the headsfor positioning them, although remaining connected their positionrelative to that of the recording devices with respect to the heads.

The present invention has been illustrated and described in onepreferred embodiment, it being however understood that variations mightbe practically adopted without departing from the intended scope of theinvention except as limited by the claims.

Having thus described the present invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device for scintographic scanning according to three orthogonalplanes employing two detecting heads arranged for adjustment along,above and transversely of a longitudinal and horizontal beam positionthe improvement comprising;

a beam horizontally disposed in said position,

two vertical column structures including chain means for moving the samealong said beam;

two recording devices;

frame support means mounted fixedly on said beam includinglongitudinally extending carriage guide means and transverse guidemeans;

a horizontally disposed recording surface mounted on said frame parallelto said guide'means;

chain drive means for moving said carriage along said horizontallyextending and transverse guide means respectively;

two column carriages mounted for vertical movement along said columns,respectively, having means for moving the same vertically along the columns;

each last said carriage including rod means for supporting a detectorhead for horizontal transverse scanning motion in respect to the supportcarriage, a first said rod means in one column including a bracket on anouter end thereof for supporting a detecting head in rotatable movementabout an inclined axis, the bracket being rotable about the first rodmeans;

a detecting head rotatably mounted on said first rod means at an outerend of said bracket for varying displacement beneath first said rodmeans and toward the other column as the bracket rotates;

a second said rod means in the other said column including a rotatableknuckle at an other end thereof comprising means for supporting a seconddetecting head beneath said second rod means;

a second said detecting means mounted on said knuckle for rotation aboutthe axis of said second rod means;

said first and second rod means being adjustable vertically andindependently of each other by chain means extending vertically in saidcolumns and horizontally along said beam by further chain drive meansoperative to move said columns therealong, said detecting heads beingrotatively adjustable to detect in like directions vertically andhorizontally,

said bracket inclinable relative to said first rod means to align saiddetecting heads horizontally or vertically;

means operating 'said chain means for moving the columns and said chaindrive means being selectively operable for effecting desired three planescanning motions; and

means coupling each recording head drive means to effect motion thereofcorresponding to scanning motion of said detecting head.

2. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 1, said chaindrive means for driving the detecting heads vertically comprising firstand second primary chain drives, one for each column and said chaindrive means for driving the detecting heads transversely of said beamcomprising first and second auxiliary chain drives extending along saidrod means, re spectively coupable one to one said primary chain driveand one to the other said primary chain drive, said primary chain drivesextending parallel to each other at least in said columns, being alignedtherein by gear ring pairs on the same axes within the columns,respectively.

3. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 2 said primarychain drives extending in said columns about two gear ring pairs on thesame axis provided at the lower end of each column and one gear ringpair on the same axis at the upper end of each col-- umn and includingelectromagnetic means for coupling primary and secondary chain drivemeans selectably and separately for selective and separate driving ofthe detecting heads.

4. A scintographic scanning drive according to claim 3, said primarychain drives extending over gear rings on the same axis respectivelydriving a further auxiliary chain coupled to a further carriage over agear ring on said same axis and in driving relation to chain meansdriving said recording devices in correspondence to motions of saiddetecting heads.

5. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 4, said recordingdevices comprising optical beam projectors faced toward respectivephotographic plates for simultaneous photographic recording of the threeorthogonal plane scans.

6. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 4 wherein saidchain means driving said record ing devices are coupled to said primarychain drives by motion-reduction means for changing the scale ofrecording relative to the scale of scanning in the three orthogonalplanes.

1. In a device for scintographic scanning according to three orthogonalplanes employing two detecting heads arranged for adjustment along,above and transversely of a longitudinal and horizontal beam positionthe improvement comprising; a beam horizontally disposed in saidposition, two vertical column structures including chain means formoving the same along said beam; two recording devices; frame supportmeans mounted fixedly on said beam including longitudinally extendingcarriage guide means and transverse guide means; a horizontally disposedrecording surface mounted on said frame parallel to said guide means;chain drive means for moving said carriage along said horizontallyextending and transverse guide means respectively; two column carriagesmounted for vertical movement along said columns, respectively, havingmeans for moving the same vertically along the columns; each last saidcarriage including rod means for supporting a detector head forhorizontal transverse scanning motion in respect to the supportcarriage, a first said rod means in one column including a bracket on anouter end thereof for supporting a detecting head in rotatable movementabout an inclined axis, the bracket being roTable about the first rodmeans; a detecting head rotatably mounted on said first rod means at anouter end of said bracket for varying displacement beneath first saidrod means and toward the other column as the bracket rotates; a secondsaid rod means in the other said column including a rotatable knuckle atan other end thereof comprising means for supporting a second detectinghead beneath said second rod means; a second said detecting meansmounted on said knuckle for rotation about the axis of said second rodmeans; said first and second rod means being adjustable vertically andindependently of each other by chain means extending vertically in saidcolumns and horizontally along said beam by further chain drive meansoperative to move said columns therealong, said detecting heads beingrotatively adjustable to detect in like directions vertically andhorizontally, said bracket inclinable relative to said first rod meansto align said detecting heads horizontally or vertically; meansoperating said chain means for moving the columns and said chain drivemeans being selectively operable for effecting desired three planescanning motions; and means coupling each recording head drive means toeffect motion thereof corresponding to scanning motion of said detectinghead.
 2. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 1, saidchain drive means for driving the detecting heads vertically comprisingfirst and second primary chain drives, one for each column and saidchain drive means for driving the detecting heads transversely of saidbeam comprising first and second auxiliary chain drives extending alongsaid rod means, respectively coupable one to one said primary chaindrive and one to the other said primary chain drive, said primary chaindrives extending parallel to each other at least in said columns, beingaligned therein by gear ring pairs on the same axes within the columns,respectively.
 3. A scintographic scanning device according to claim 2said primary chain drives extending in said columns about two gear ringpairs on the same axis provided at the lower end of each column and onegear ring pair on the same axis at the upper end of each column andincluding electromagnetic means for coupling primary and secondary chaindrive means selectably and separately for selective and separate drivingof the detecting heads.
 4. A scintographic scanning drive according toclaim 3, said primary chain drives extending over gear rings on the sameaxis respectively driving a further auxiliary chain coupled to a furthercarriage over a gear ring on said same axis and in driving relation tochain means driving said recording devices in correspondence to motionsof said detecting heads.
 5. A scintographic scanning device according toclaim 4, said recording devices comprising optical beam projectors facedtoward respective photographic plates for simultaneous photographicrecording of the three orthogonal plane scans.
 6. A scintographicscanning device according to claim 4 wherein said chain means drivingsaid recording devices are coupled to said primary chain drives bymotion-reduction means for changing the scale of recording relative tothe scale of scanning in the three orthogonal planes.